New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-03
CHASE AND THE AMENDMENTS.
HIS PLAN OF RECONSTRUCTION.
JUSTICE FIELDS ACCOUNT OF Mr.. CHAsE'S AP-
rOINTMENT AS CHIEF JUSTICE.

| rOINTMENT AS CHIEF JUSTICE.
From TIE Worth american R'tte'0 January 1887
| The article ION Chief Justice Salmon 2: ChaseI by
! Colonel Dom Piatt, In the December North Amer
loan Review" brought out quite number of remn'.
c-nces aud letters of especial interest as matters OF
history No man occupied more prominent pSS ,;,
| that preceded and followed the late Civil War As
anancier Chief Justice Chase then at the head OF the
Treasury, won Tor himself ~ imperishaoe renow ,i
| during the armed conflict. This Is vel know'. ont
the fact that he the author OF the constitutional
provisions and much of the legislation that followed
Is not we'll known. his is made prominent IN the
letter wo are permitted give the public. Ii will lie
observed In q study of this mpo tant document that
the amendments suggesrd bv the Chief justice. ana
| subseauentiy adopted in the mann, are without he
harsh features aftcrward Incorporated that led TO
such bit :erncss, that the political war over recon-
strucon was IA bitter a. the armed wa OF secession.
This confidential letter. written IN the greatest
frankness by friend TO another. aso throws liQht
on what heretofore ha. been considered mystery,
and tba is how it came That President Lincoln CARED
Mr. Chase 10 the high POSITION OF Oh ct Justice OF the
Supreme Court. 1t is well known that the pohucsl
and pcrsonal relations ct these eminent men were ir
from friendly. The Secretary OF the Treasury had
bcen openly in the field candidate for he l'resi-
dcncy against his chief, and candidate OF the Demo
cratic party. The popular benet Is that lresuehe
Lincoln did this to put out OF the way formidable
rival A siuiy OF dates sets aside tins superstition. 80
innr,n. to the memory OF tn President.
The author OF the article Salmon L. Chase ob'erv-
inc tbc reference to Justice Field being the first to
suggest the appointment of Chie Justice. sought the
eminent urst and leading member OF an illustrons
ttIuIt
tell Won with the greatest pleasure" responded the
.Jusic. In the last year Of Chief Justice iaheys
lite he was taken ill., and VIC all believed his end
10 be near OF reference WA made ny me
or any other member OF the Supreme Bench 10 the
succession until we learned th7t the late DAVID DAVIS
OF Illinois. who mad great influence with Mr. Lincoln,
bad organized part" in behalf OF the late JUSTICE
Syayre Now. while had the greatest respect ior
Swayne, Ne knew that he was not the man Tor the
position that events had made, ana were mahins OF
such vital Importance to the nation. consulted my
associate Jrstcs Miilsr and We both selected Chise
as the man OF all men fitted tor the p!ac, Miller
indeed we both mad our doubts as to Mr. Cnases
occentance and volunteered TO ascertain. That day
while walking along Pennsvlvania-avr toward
Wizards Hotel | mt Mr. Chase. and aiter tne
ordinary salntaion asked him how he would like to
he Chief Justice He seemed startled and ,h"n, Turn,
ing ronnd walked with me-. He sc"med to nave
di cnlt, in getting hold OF the proposon I ls-I
he said. Have you consulted sumner ! replied
40 but | will Immediately Sumner nj that t'me
lived on the corner of II and Vermont-ave. found
hun at his desk almost buried IN papers, Tr,,ia S
vigorously ! at once told my business. and, with
oni word of d'scnssion, he rose saving
will see the President and lett the house
and The subject OF course. dropped. As the end OF
term closed, cacdt pay my respects ou,d ni'n
photo raph which he had requested noticed that hi5
sight had failed hum aud W., was ,scu pahJls
form the last time knew that before could return
from California another chief Justice wod be ,iy
Mansion to r"od-hye To the President i"inn nun
avn going 10 California but before return for the next
term OF court YOU viii have Ia appoint u Chief Jus
ce ne looked at me with uquring expression pccu
liar Ia him and asked me II could not remain day
longer responded certainly The next day ne told me
that. In OF vacancy he bad made up ms mlnI 10
appoint chase and asked me II thought Chase would a
cep; | then told him what had occurred THAT i AL
said President and then added. wonder how katie
In th. way the eminent called TO his true vo
cation That question with which the story ends has IT'S
significance II we'll known that one OF the most
potent factors In the formation Of the ,he party was ~
The winning grace and subtle tact or his accomplished
daughter. Sow while President Lincoln was more
amused than offended at ms ms VIC n,'h'n" tuIlois
and kept up ~ social sort that was Tar more dis
agreeable than elective.
Here. however. IL the letter:
WlsHINGToN, April 80. 1860.
w Dear Judg- II grcvcd me much 10 hear from your
brother. Mr. cyrus w. Field that you had been quite III
supposed that you were now In or very near 'aH"th
No must take the best of yourself not "hJ Tor VA"
sake Of your family but 81 your country which now needs
patriotism ~ well a. legal learning upon th' p,h'
feel all the interest "f warm personal lreudshiP w.
Your welfare 1t !; pot Ia my hna1 c IT pI pn
arnitc- In u make separation; ana no sn,n iirr
rucr. come hetWcru DO you remember whcn, JUST
before the end Of the term 10 the spring 81 l-Gl you
met me the a,eunr, and expressed your warm
wish that might nh the pla'c now Occupy u
Yea have ior-ottn II. hd'e n"t nor shan cE"II
forget H. ttook me hy surprise but VAS very Sr''olu'
What think ~ the plan ~ rccon'trnetion. or
rather ~ -2mplrns rccon-trht"n' presented py lne
(.umttr- of litcru To ne IL ~ all very well, pro
s|' u ,,. I've, , @ ptr ~" 20 a. a. have bad Or
-is l't,'t u' ','s " ., -.,,r. ,,,i urn,c.rutn
uNc-. I have recommended Ia connnc constitutional
amendments two points ~ No payment Of Rebel
delft and no payment for slaves 90 No representation
beyond a constitutional basis. And. many are try
ine th,ir heads ai form drew hp these two amend
uients iccnuiiug Ia my ideas. - follows:
ANN II set 10. l. lcptc-, natives shall b. appOr
num.rs bat wherever ~ any state ln" elective franchise
-hi lcnr {, any 81 it, hhlotni' lc NJ mae cut'h'
o. 10. l' ~, .IiT"ct,o" or re- Of ION asan,I tic
i"T n i,i SAT- The 1a,i. OF sc.cu site .G4
be- rciuc T. IN tr ..I 10 M, T', ' NUMBER Of maio c
ycf- o.,r tu, ~
,,e'o.2 Nopttmcnt snail ever MADE by the United
Sl,' .I ct ~ ar r I ' I'm ag .r tie Cac stats or
for 81 on account OF / emancipation OF slaves
And propo-c furtncrtnat the submission 81 this ar
ticc to tc -ta'c- should he accompanied ~ concur
rent resolution 10 this effect;
rha whenever which declared to 10
dent Unite, - 'icd Jul. 80. 'hA,l have rl
hc the ocsnng irie 'cntio' ana hrPr,sn ION
IN the -,nst"aId House Of Representatives. ierne'tN'ln
t"n wnrnevcr tue -nal have
nrd u otanart'rso the several 0en""i AN i'1p
ought IN Ike manner u DO admitted non all Ihe
statcn'
It has really seemed TO that on this basis the com
plctun OF reorganization toy the adni~'i" OF members III
hotl Houses of Congress would bee sntc; aud | have
greatly doubted the cNpcdcncy OF going beyond ths III
two other important respects the report "l tue '9nlt,o
tcrfcIug wiih the rights al clthchs ~ pl'IianchlNlns
all persons voluntarily engaged IN rebellion until 1870
aud 90 In granting express legislative power
10 Congress enforce all tho new
constitutional provisions viii not Theses
propositions he received with alarm by those who,
though opponents of secession or nnhlnca"n YET regard
the real rights the states essential 10 proper work
any proposed amendments Will he likely To nave
injurious T.. unless IL be the sweep al The drdu
chiscncnt but repeat. that fear the recommendation
much and, add. that 1t seems to me that nothing
gninc sufficiently Important and ssainablc by lrgis
lnon friends III overlooking the ship with
amendment freight.
i,u this letter TOO long Pardon and answer Have
you read the opinion and the dissent In the Bank case
Yours cordially, :. L. CHASE
| ncose an opinion In Admiralty case. which
think right The question is Of Importance, especially in
California and on the Pacific Coast